This disclosure relates to a gas turbine engine blade, and more particularly, to squealer pockets used in the airfoil tip of some such blades.
A gas turbine engine typically includes a fan section, a compressor section, a combustor section and a turbine section. Air entering the compressor section is compressed and delivered into the combustor section where it is mixed with fuel and ignited to generate a high-speed exhaust gas flow. The high-speed exhaust gas flow expands through the turbine section to drive the compressor and the fan section. The compressor section typically includes low and high pressure compressors, and the turbine section includes low and high pressure turbines.
Blade tip burning is a well-known issue for turbine blades. To that end multiple tip configurations have been tried over the years to avoid tip burning. One common solution is a tip shelf, wherein the pressure side of the tip is recessed to a given depth and height and then cooling holes are drilled in the tip shelf. Another solution involves a single squealer pocket, wherein a recess is provided centrally in a portion of the airfoil tip. Cooling holes may or may not be provided to fluidly connect the squealer pocket to internal cooling passages.